From the Hulk to Hacktivists: Wired’s Best Videos of 2012

None of them got quite as many views as Psy's "Gangnam Style," but Wired's best videos of 2012 still covered plenty of territory.

From a real pain ray and a massive stash of Star Wars memorabilia to Anonymous and a self-balancing electric motorcycle prototype, the 10 original videos in the gallery above offer a unique window into the Wired world.

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Making the Hulk, the Avengers' Big Green Smashing Machine

It's incredible but true: The Hulk stole the show in superhero blockbuster The Avengers this year. Industrial Light & Magic special effects supervisor Jeff White reveals the cinematic magic that turned actor Mark Ruffalo into the best movie Hulk yet.

A Brief History of Anonymous

Get a look at the origins of hacktivist group Anonymous, which has graduated from rickrolling unsuspecting web surfers to battling oppressive regimes and corporations. Wired's video team chronicles the rise of Anonymous.

Lit Motors' CI Electric Motorcycle

Fully enclosed and boasting twin gyros that keep it upright, Lit Motors' C1 electric motorcycle could revolutionize the way we commute. Wired takes a look at the San Francisco company's gnarly-looking proof-of-concept vehicle.

Metallica's Kirk Hammett: Some Kind of Monster Buff

In this video, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett shows off his very cool collection of old-school horror memorabilia. He's got everything from a life-size Bela Lugosi to a Re-Animator head housed in his basement. It was cool visiting during the day, but we left before dark.

Meet Curiosity Mars Rover's Twin

Before the Curiosity rover landed on Mars, Wired checked out the space machine's twin at the Exploratorium. In the video above, you'll get a tour of the rover's tech and find out everything the rover needs to survey — and survive — the harsh Martian landscape.

The Hackers and Tinkerers at the Core of Skylanders

By mixing collectible action figures with videogaming, Activision created a cash cow called Skylanders. In the video above, Wired visits the Northern California offices of Toys for Bob to meet the hobbyists and hackers who developed the successful game series, and to get a behind-the-scenes look at Skylanders prototypes.

Getting Zapped by the Military's 'Pain Ray'

Wired.com senior writer Spencer Ackerman volunteered to step in front of the military's microwave "pain ray." The unconventional weapon, known as the Active Denial System, fried him from almost a half-mile away without so much as a flash or bang.

The Messy, Dangerous Task of Cleaning Up After Dead Bodies

Who cleans up the potentially hazardous mess left behind when somebody's shuffled off this mortal coil? To find out, Wired followed Steri-Clean, a company that specializes in "bio-remediation," including cleaning up after corpses have been taken away from a crime scene or deathbed.

Caution: This video might disturb some viewers.

DIY Zombie Makeup

Learn how to get that realistic zombie look with this how-to video. It's surprisingly simple to create "quick and easy wounds that will last for hours and hours," according to FX artist Jordan Plath, who walked Wired through a down-and-dirty undead makeover.